ongildedwingsâ:
âLook into my mind?â Layla was confused by the verbiage. Sure, the entire scenario was bizarre to begin with. Who was this woman, and what did she want? A pickpocket, perhaps? She placed her hands in her pockets casually just to be safe, just a slight gesture that hopefully wouldnât cause any alarm.Â
There was a sincerity in the womanâs eyes, a strong urgency that cause Layla to feel more inclined to believe her, rather than not. âHow do you mean?â She asked, trying to gain a better feel for what was going on. If the redhead was in some kind of trouble, then of course she would help her. âWhatâs going on?
&.
Jean nodded. âIâm a telepath,â she explained. âI can access your memories, see what you saw. It wonât hurt,â Jean assured her carefully. She knew how people tended to react, to people with powers. Especially mutants. The world wasnât always so friendly - in fact, it rarely was. But she had never let that hold her back, and wouldnât now, staring into the womanâs eyes, trying to make a connection with her. Not a psychic one, just a human one.Â
Iâm a friend, Jean thought. You can trust me. âIâm -â Marvel Girl. But that name didnât feel right, not the way it had used to. âMy name is Jean.â she said instead, smiling encouragingly. âMy friends and I, weâre looking for someone who came through here. Someone who ... has powers like we do, but uses them to hurt people. Whoâs going to try to hurt people, today. Iâm going to stop them, with your help.â Jean spoke calmly, but there was something hard and cold lurking underneath. She heard it in her own words, recognized it with a sharp sense of unease. The Phoenix had had a retributive sense of justice. If it was still there, if she still felt angry... then maybe all along that anger had just been hers. Â












